Vietnamese Bitter Melon Soup

1. Slice the bitter melons length-wise but not all the way through. Scoop out all the white part inside, and then soak them in salted water for about 30 minutes to draw out some of the bitterness.
2. Cover the dried wood-ear mushrooms with hot water for several minutes until they are fully rehydrated. Cut off the stems, then julienne and finely mince. You will need about ¼ cup of minced wood-ear mushrooms.
3. Add ground pork to a mixing bowl, then add wood-ear mushrooms, minced garlic, shallot, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅜ teaspoon fish sauce and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Mix to combine.
4. Remove bitter melons from the soaking liquids. If you want to reduce the bitterness even further, blanch them in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Then rinse under cold water and pat dry. Stuff the bitter melons with the meat filling you have prepared in Step 3.

If you want the soup to be less bitter

1. Choose a pot that is large just enough to fit the bitter melons inside. Bring 2½ - 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the stuffed bitter melons, ginger, white part of scallions and ½ teaspoon salt. We want the water to be just about enough to cover the gourds.
2. Adjust the heat to just below medium heat and simmer with the lid slightly askew for 30-40 minutes until the bitter melons are tender. The heat should be enough to maintain something in between a gentle and rapid simmer. Skim off foam if needed.
3. Once the bitter melons are tender to your liking, discard about 1 cup of the cooking liquid (or more if you want the soup to be even less bitter), then add back about 2 cups of chicken stock.
4. Bring the soup back to a boil and adjust the taste to your liking. People traditionally add a bit of sugar to the soup, which may tone down the bitterness, but it is optional.

If you don't mind the bitterness

1. Simmer the stuffed bitter melon in 4-5 cups of chicken stock (or a combination of water and chicken stock) until tender. Then adjust the taste to your liking.
2. Transfer the soup to serving bowls and sprinkle with chopped green scallions, cilantro and more black pepper if desired. Serve hot.